In partnership with retail, food and beverage (F&B) company Areas, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Spain has opened what it states to be the world’s first robotic restaurant with artificial intelligence in an airport. The 137m2 restaurant, named Self, is situated in the commercial area at Terminal 1 next to Gate B24.
Robotic restaurant
Self is designed to offer travelers a new experience, with agile and efficient service. It uses a robotic arm with a claw and five tactile fingers to optimally manage and deliver orders. When customers arrive at the restaurant, they select their products and pay (easy orders) and are issued a ticket with a number and QR code. Self prepares and organizes orders in trays to speed up delivery, notifying the customer on a screen when their order is ready for pickup. Staff are always available to help in the dining room or with take-out orders. Self can handle up to six orders at the same time and has been designed to help the human team provide guests with better and more personalized service.
Self can also manage inventory and procurement, operating autonomously but in close collaboration with the team. It is equipped with advanced AI and a machine vision camera, which learns and makes optimal decisions in real time, enabling it to ‘see’ and adapt to the environment to improve service quality and speed.
The restaurant’s offering focuses on the products most in demand at the airport, such as coffees, premium sandwiches, juices, pastries, salads and pokes, desserts and soft drinks, as well as unique recipes, all prepared daily to ensure freshness and quality.
Investment in innovation
Self has been developed entirely with Spanish engineering by IJRRobótica and AEV and in collaboration with tech partners such as MasterCard, AEV, Kuka and ICG; FMCG brands such as Mahou San Miguel, Coca-Cola, Frit Ravich, Lavazza, Montaraz, Gufresco, Danone, Evian and García de Pou; and with design and architecture experts such as GAC 3000 and Espluga + Associates.
This new project at Barcelona Airport is reportedly the culmination of several years’ work, during which Areas carried out studies and extensive market research to respond to the growing and demanding requirements of new traveler profiles and surprise them with this new experience.
The collaboration between Areas, Aena and the strategic partners involved in the project has made it possible to implement Self at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, one of the busiest airports in Spain and Europe, providing travelers with a unique and differentiated experience during their time at the airport.
Sergio Rodríguez, CEO of Areas Iberia, said, “This project marks a milestone in F&B and travel retail and reaffirms our entrepreneurial spirit, capacity for innovation and transformational vocation to lead new trends in the industry. Areas is a leader in this industry, and one of our main goals is to offer travelers the best-possible experience through pioneering projects, new service models and advanced technological solutions that optimize operational processes and improve their customer experience.”
Commitment to sustainability
To support its Areas for Change sustainability strategy, Areas has implemented LED technology and 100% recyclable FSC-certified paper packaging in the restaurant. The company has also collaborated with Clothink to design staff uniforms made from organic cotton.
In related news, a self-driving food and beverage robot, named the Jeeves service robot, was recently introduced at Munich Airport in Germany. Click here to read the full story.